A Northland crisis center tasked with directing 988 helpline calls has seen more people dialing-in than ever before.

The nationwide 988 crisis line launched in July, hoping to make it easier for people with mental health needs to get the help they need.

Since that launch, First Call 211 in Grand Rapids has gone from getting 700 calls to around 1,000 calls monthly.

Crystal Terveer said the helpline debuted July 16, and it has rang steadily since then.

“We saw a huge increase in call volume and then it’s still climbing,” she said, “not quite that drastically anymore, but it’s been staying over a thousand calls a month now.”

The Grand Rapids center covers 47 of the 87 counties in the state, ranging from Northern Minnesota, to the southwestern and southeastern portions of the state.

Cre Larson, the Executive Director for First Call 211, said there is now a text and chat option for people that don’t or can’t talk on the phone.

“I love that because I think the 988 is really trying to bring a variety of access doors to people in crisis,” she said.

According to the Minnesota Department of Health, calls to Minnesota’s four call centers have increased 44% as of September of this year. In the last seven years the department also found that more than 700 people per year died from suicide.

There are three other call centers located across Minnesota: the Carver County Health and Human Services, Mental Health Crisis Program; FirstLink; and Greater Twin Cities United Way. If you or someone you know is in crisis, you can find more information about the 988 hotline here.

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Related: What Cook County & Grand Portage Residents Need to Know about 988